Although saliva HIV testing is as accurate as using a standard blood test, counselling is still more important, Aids experts warned yesterday.

The Public Health Ministry announced it has given hospitals the green light to use the faster saliva tests for HIV, reasoning it would make it easier for more people to take HIV tests and allow infections to be treated sooner.

Two brands of saliva-based HIV tests were being considered for the final approval for hospitals use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said Dr Sombat Thanprasertsuk, head of the Bureau of Aids, Tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

One of the brands, OraSure, had applied for the FDA's approval several times to sell the products in the country but had been rejected.

However, the national committee on HIV/Aids has now decided to allow the saliva test to be used by medical experts and in hospitals to improve the convenience of HIV testing, said Public Health Minister Dr Mongkol na Songkhla.

The state's system life-saving anti-retro viral treatment for people living with HIV/Aids

had improved significantly making the country more ready for saliva HIV test, said Sombat.

"The accuracy of it (saliva-based HIV test) is equal to the standard blood test," said Sombat, adding that in the US, the tests had recently been approved for buying over the counter.

One advantage of the saliva HIV test was the two companies had shifted their manufacturing bases to Thailand to supply the products to the US and European markets, said Sombat.

Yet some Aids activists do not consider the technique of HIV testing to be more important than the pre- and post HIV test counselling, although they conceded the saliva test made the testing more convenient. "The point is, it's more important to provide people with effective counselling about HIV/Aids, which also leads to better prevention and access to HIV testing and treatment," said Nimitr Tien-udom, the director of Aids Access.

Meanwhile, the Disease Control Department said the recent survey showed considerably low rates of condom use in young people.

Conducted on 6,000 male and female students aged between 10 and 24 in 20 provinces across the country, the survey found the average rate of condom use was only 35 per cent.

That was far below the expected rate of 60 per cent, said Sombat.

Figures from the department also showed the infection rate of sexually transmitted diseases in youngsters had jumped from about 23 per cent to 43 per cent over a period of 10 years.

Last year, the ministry launched an intensive campaign aimed at raising awareness about safe sex and condom use in 44 educational institutions around the country.

Arthit Khwankhom

The Nation